Zentraedi and Tirolan Culture

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 1:34 am

We know that the Zentraedi were affected by culture pretty hard. We know that the Robotech Masters used music to control their people. Once given freedom, some musicians are going to come from the Zentraedi and the Tirolans. Some will emulate earth styles of music, others will work in more alien forms.

In Gargoyle's game I have a fairly recently inducted zentraedi Auxiliary specialist who has become a music buff by nature of her conversion. She considers Minmay a universal music, and also takes an interest in Zentraedi musicians as well.

I've created two that I wanted to share, and see if any of you had any ideas (semi-serious ones, though a zentraedi parody artist like Wierd Al would be funny). Again, I'm not looking for modern or past artists that could concievably be used as zentraedi, but actual original ideas. They can be old characters or NPCs too, anything that you can come up with.

The two I have are:

Grand Master Zelas. A former Infantry soldier who was completely entranced when he heard Minmay's song, and became obsessed by it. He served on Breetai's ship, and was among those who became fans of Minmay early on. After he was allowed to micronize and integrate into human society, he took music lessons with a variety of instruments and styles. He became enamored of spoken word and rhythm, and made the obvious transition into rap. His work tends to point out the problems Zentraedi have integrating, and his own trials as a Zentraedi performer in a world that considers him the reason they have to rebuild. "Zentraedi do it harder", a dance style song referring to how hard a Zentraedi's life can be, and "Culture is not just for Micronians", a song about the right and responsibility of all zentraedi to express themselves in some art form, even if they do it poorly. Grand Master Zelas has taken up study of busido and the arts of the samurai, and suggests it as a way for his people to truly understand humanity, and embrace its attitudes. He moved to Tirol with he SDF-3, and has done a duet with Minmay once.

Kalika. A half human, half zentraedi who looks like a mostly normal human except for her bright purple hair. She was born on Space Station Liberty before it was moved, and has recntly begun producing music on Tirol. She has embraced all electronic forms of music, and also sings over them, in Tirolan, English, Zentraedi, and Perytonian. Trance, techno, house, astral, and the newer interstallar format are all used. Her songs all have estoric names, and she likes to take themes from the myths and legends of Earth and Fatoma. She has recently reached into Perytonian legends, with the song Ha'shel Jolka, a song about a wizard who loses his magic, which is a perytonian legend that teaches perverence and faith in one's self.

Any others? I mentioned culture because it doesn't have to be music. Art, movies, games, poetry, etc.

Lt Gargoyle · Unread post by **Lt Gargoyle** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:18 am

I would think a Zentraedi would take to heavy metal music like mad.

jedi078 · Unread post by **jedi078** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:18 pm

This is from my all Zent game on rpol

The Following are revisions to the Zentraedi Race and their RCC’s as presented in the Robotech Macross Saga Sourcebook.

Zentraedi names
Most Zentraedi have just one name but a few have two... That said the second name is really the name of the ‘clone line.’ For example Khyron comes from the Kravshera (Khyron Kravshera) line while Mirya comes from the Parina line (Miriya Parina). It should also be noted Zentraedi Officers have several syllables in their name while Zentraedi Soldiers only have one. Caveman-ish names work well for soldiers.

General attitude
Remove the BS regarding Zentraedi being immature children. Zentraedi are more like a highly disciplined warrior/culture race akin to that of Mongols, Samurai, Spartans, Vikings, Tatars, and Zulu’s (or maybe Klingons from Star Trek). Childhood immaturity has no place in warrior cultures, therefore the Zentraedi are not to be played like immature children. Yes there will be a culture shock if/when a Zentraedi encounters micronian culture for the first time. But like most intelligent beings they will be able to figure things out and fit in rather quickly. A Zentraedi, with a military mind set of trying to blend in would not act immature he/she would be actively trying to blend in. We see this evident with the three spies. If drunk a Zentraedi might act immature, but many soldiers act immature when drunk.

During long periods of inaction
Most Zentraedi are placed in stasis between combat actions, with only a skeleton crew operating a warship, as well as a small complement of warriors to defend a warship if need be. Skelton crews are rotated on three or six month long rotations. It only takes five minutes to bring an individual out of stasis. Then for a period of 15 minutes the individual is groggy and disorientated (-15% to skills, -10 to initiative, -6 to strike, parry dodge). Thus even with the majority of the crew in stasis a Zentraedi Warship can enter combat within 30 minutes.

Female Zentraedi
There are both Officer (Warlords) and Enlisted (Warrior Elite, and Auxiliary specialists) Female Zentraedi. Males serve on their warships, carrying out some of the more menial auxiliary duties. Yes we see Azonia giving orders to a male Zentraedi on board her own ship, and a few males can be seen tending to Miryia's Q-Rau. Female Zentraedi are almost always arrogant towards males, mainly as a way for them to be perceived as superior to those Males that serve on their warships.

Ranks
Zentraedi ranks signify what a particular Zentraedi was cloned to serves as. For example Warlords begin life as Jernais. Warrior Elites will begin with the rank of Gadra and may sometimes advance to the rank of Lord, but this is very rare. Warrior Infantry , and Auxiliary Specialists will begin life at the rank of Shiar and never go beyond the rank of Obere Gadra.

A Zentraedi will move up the ranks depending on his accomplishments and how well he fights in battle. Surviving a battle is also important to gaining rank, after all one cannot be promoted if dead.

High Ranking Officer = Kimma (Warlord)
Mid Ranking Officer = Trati (Lord/Captain)
Low Ranking Officer = Jernais
High ranking Enlisted = Obere Gadra
Mid Ranking Enlisted = Gadra
Low Ranking Enlisted = Shiar

Food
While the most Zentraedi subsist off of a greenish grey nutrient paste. Warlords, their most trusted Warriors Elites and the ships Archivist have be known to feast upon some sort of large animal, fruits and vegetables which is probably cultivated and engineered for them on a planet somewhere. We see Khyron munching on a large chicken/turkey leg in one scene, so one has to wonder where THAT came from.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:31 pm

Lt Gargoyle wrote:I would think a Zentraedi would take to heavy metal music like mad.

I figured that and other hard, rhythmn heavy musical styles. Hence GMZ is a rapper, though I imagine his music would have more guitar than keyboard and synth.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:43 pm

I love it... :ok:

wildhood · Unread post by **wildhood** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 8:20 pm

THE FOOD, just put your chicken/turkey in the Protoculture Chamber for one hour & you got your super size chicken/turkey dinner. Thank You Zentraedi Food Netwerk for Officers.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:53 pm

...It's solidfied nutrient goop-on-a-stick...fortified with fiber for that false muscle-meat texture...

jedi078 · Unread post by **jedi078** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:08 am

wildhood wrote:THE FOOD, just put your chicken/turkey in the Protoculture Chamber for one hour & you got your super size chicken/turkey dinner. Thank You Zentraedi Food Netwerk for Officers.

That might work in Macross...but this is ROBOTECH where it has never been proven that you can toss anything into a macronization chamber and make it big.

Lt Gargoyle · Unread post by **Lt Gargoyle** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:12 am

If i remember correctly they tirolians are very Roman like, in style and dress. Thier building definatly had Roman/Greek influance/style from what I remember. So I think I would start there for insperation on the Tirolians.

I do for my games, as you will see soon enough.

I am going to look through my comics tonight and see if I can find out more for you.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:31 am

Well to be fair the entire concept of the Robotech Masters is basically Rome in space. A crumbling empire, mismanaged by people who no longer can do what has worked for so long, having a strong military, but losing control over it, and now the barbarians have come in and sacked Rome, I mean Fatoma. Of course they fled to a spaceship version of Constantinople, and took it to earth to attack the one chance of revitalising themselves for a while.

But by all means post up some stuff. I can see a major resurgance of classical style music on Fatoma, and Tirolan Opera is likely something of a darling in the UEEF fleets.

jedi078 · Unread post by **jedi078** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:57 am

I would not be surprised if a lot of Zentraedi got involved in sports. This could get to the point where the physically more robust Zentraedi have their own all Zent leagues.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:22 pm

Announcer: "The Centauri Interstellar Soccer League proudly presents Pod Football!

"Pod Football, the lastest craze pits full sized and micronized Zentraedi and humans against each other in a match of their skill both as pilots and athletes. Micronized Zentraedi and humans must work in teams, while Full sized Zentraedi can play by themselves. There are team and one on one events for all to see. Today's match up between the Outlying League's Astros and the Vega Comets should be an interesting match up. The OL has very few full sized players, so most of their teams are three man piloting crews. As we all know, such teams are at a disadvantage when it comes to Pod Football. This is even more exagerated because the Vega Comets have the largest percentage of full sized Zentraedi in the league. But the OL's undefeated streak, including in a match up against the Comets earlier this season speaks to the quality of their training.

"And as a special treat, former MVP for five years running, the Ace Kenna Jastus joins us, leading the referees in her custom Super Valkyrie. Chooser of the slain indeed! She will drop the ball and get the first match going, right after opening ceremonies. Stay tuned, we'll be right back after these messages!"

Commercial Announcer: [Images of female power armor, gnerl fighter pods, lancer space fighters, and Valkyries of all styles race through asteroids, some nearly colliding, play in the background] "The thrill, the excitement, the pulse of thrusters whining, and pulling 4 Gs through hair pin turns. This is Vega Asteroid Racing! The Vega Asteroid Racing League Highlights, 2043 edition is now available at your local stores. See all the races from the VARL for 2043. Get pilot's eye views of the race, as well as chaser footage. See Jake Hardings explosion from inside the cockpit! See the hair pin miss between Katrina Witt and Harrison Eddington during the final race of the season. For a better experience, use the Perfect Vision Interface kit to see it all in 3 dimensions! Includes all stats, and by the minute updates of all stats as you watch. Feel the Excitement of Vega Asteroid Racing! 3 disc set for only 120 credits!! Get yours today!"

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:21 pm

MikelAmroni wrote:Well to be fair the entire concept of the Robotech Masters is basically Rome in space. A crumbling empire, mismanaged by people who no longer can do what has worked for so long, having a strong military, but losing control over it, and now the barbarians have come in and sacked Rome, I mean Fatoma. Of course they fled to a spaceship version of Constantinople, and took it to earth to attack the one chance of revitalising themselves for a while.

But by all means post up some stuff. I can see a major resurgance of classical style music on Fatoma, and Tirolan Opera is likely something of a darling in the UEEF fleets.

I've thought about a post-LIberation Tirolian Rennaisance with the younger generations of Tirolians going in for a Terran-accented cultural blend, and media strong on both 'we've been redeemed by adversity'(hey, WE'RE not the ones who started this mess) and strong cautionary themes, with the older generations espousing a 'don't throw out everything....the Republic had some good points too...".

Lt Gargoyle · Unread post by **Lt Gargoyle** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:25 pm

WildWalker wrote:Could you see a Zentradi Rugby League or Zentradi Rules Soccer League that allowed full body contact!?!?! Or how about Battlepod soccer?

Holy cow that would be awesome! I'd watch that game...and I don't even LIKE soccer!

Do it with full sized Zentradi and human sized referees in Veritechs for that extra OMG!

WildWalker

I could see the old Mecha Su-dai sport from the old return of the master being a good fit in this culture. especially if the different colonies had thier own champs. (kinda like the WWF or whatever the wrestling show is called these days).

I can also see what taalismn is thinking as well. the back story suggest that the Tirolians have accepted the humans and the culture open hearted ness. so a strong blend of cultures to form a completely new one.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:05 pm

Lt Gargoyle wrote: I can also see what taalismn is thinking as well. the back story suggest that the Tirolians have accepted the humans and the culture open hearted ness. so a strong blend of cultures to form a completely new one.

There's also the factor of youth rebellion....the left-behinds of the Tirolian Empire, those of the older generation who saw the decline of their place as the Masters moved towards their 'perfect society' might have gotten into a funk, torn between 'we deserved this for not speaking up' and 'we've seen our glory days'...The younger generation (galvinized by a few of the more rebellious older gen who survived being culled by the Masters' secret police), would be more 'Hey, it wasn't our fault, why should we suffer for your old sins!? Let's get with building OUR perfect society!"..Kind of like a post-WW2 New Generation Germany blending all manner of cultures...
Of course, there's also going to be a few with a more aggressive approach, and want, not merely to help defend their world and revitalize their culture, but also gain back some of the prestige and territory they see as theirs, and this could cause some friction with the Sentinels, who remember the bad ol' days of the Empire...

Chris0013 · Unread post by **Chris0013** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 12:32 pm

jedi078 wrote:
wildhood wrote:THE FOOD, just put your chicken/turkey in the Protoculture Chamber for one hour & you got your super size chicken/turkey dinner. Thank You Zentraedi Food Netwerk for Officers.

That might work in Macross...but this is ROBOTECH where it has never been proven that you can toss anything into a macronization chamber and make it big.

If this works then world hunger would be at thing of the past....enlarge a herd of cattle or flock of chickens and then slaughter them and put them thru a meat grinder....everyone gets ground meat....

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 6:10 pm

Chris0013 wrote:
jedi078 wrote:
wildhood wrote:THE FOOD, just put your chicken/turkey in the Protoculture Chamber for one hour & you got your super size chicken/turkey dinner. Thank You Zentraedi Food Netwerk for Officers.

That might work in Macross...but this is ROBOTECH where it has never been proven that you can toss anything into a macronization chamber and make it big.

If this works then world hunger would be at thing of the past....enlarge a herd of cattle or flock of chickens and then slaughter them and put them thru a meat grinder....everyone gets ground meat....

Still...in Robotech, if you can hack the Protoculture cost, the cloning tech is still viable...splice the proper 'macronization' codes into the cell tissue sample, and pump the raw materials(lie all those nifty cometary chemicals) into a RFS complex and into the banks of cloning tubes...and you got bulk meat....Sure, it looks like 'The Chicken Heart That Ate Cleveland'(or 'Chicken Little' from Frederick Pohl's 'The Space Merchants',,,but it's meat....

Actually, though, it would simply be easier to adapt Zentraedi food machines to the purpose...and flavor the nutrient 'goop' that comes out(I'd like to claim that the 'turkey leg' Khyron was chewing on was the result of a Zentraedi fabrication system dedicated to making textured foodstuffs...After all, if the Masters engineered the Zentraedi to be HUGE, why'd they leave them TEETH if they weren't going to provide some means of keeping them healthy? Including providing foods that, if not exactly tasty, at least had textures and consistancy beyond being porridge...Of course, Zentraedi 'flatbread' would seem to a normal human to be more like the cardboard found in shipping flats or like fiberglass, but it would meet the Zentraedi need for fiber in the diet....

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:06 am

So Tirolans join the UEEF, what would they listen to? Better yet a tirolan male decides he wants to become a singer or muscian and wants to branch out, what does he do? How does he combine Tirolan values with human culture and music to create his own style. feel free to create NPCs, It's kinda what I started the thread for.

Also, a Zentraedi discovers a talent for art, how does that art manifest?

A Tirolan woman becomes enamored of a terran musical form, which one? why?

A Zentraedi discovers a talent for some industrial skill in a way that creates art...what skill? Currently we have modern artists who use their knowledge of metal working to create abstract artwork. What could a full sized or even micronized zentraedi do?

How do the Sentinel worlds and their specific cultures affect Tirolan and Zentraedi cultures. Would artists and musicians grow enamored of those cultures and use them to have art. Why/why not?

Chris0013 · Unread post by **Chris0013** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 11:19 am

This would pretty much be a random, individual thing....but would probably make for some interesting characters.....say a Zentraedi Male trying to impress a Zentraedi Female with his physical prowess by challenging others (or possibly her) to a fight.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:01 pm

Chris0013 wrote:This would pretty much be a random, individual thing....but would probably make for some interesting characters.....say a Zentraedi Male trying to impress a Zentraedi Female with his physical prowess by challenging others (or possibly her) to a fight.

The original artists were two I came up with off the cuff for my character in Gargoyle's game. I figured that we shouldn't just be recycling 20th century music when deciding what our characters listen to, so having a few random artists, even if not all of them may not be what you want, is a good thing. So please, let those creative juices flow. Give us those memorable NPCs. We don't need stats, we need background, musical/artistic styles, etc. My intent is to have this be one of those threads folks are adding new artists to when they come to mind. Also if you think of some sort of media entertainment, post that too (like the racing and battlepod soccer above). Entertainment doesn't stop just because there is a fight for survival. Yellow Dancer is proof of that.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:43 pm

MikelAmroni wrote:
A Tirolan woman becomes enamored of a terran musical form, which one? why? ?

In the case of Musica, it's because Human music isn't about following rigid forms and repetitive themes optimized for pre-determined psychological effect....It's the thrill of the new, the exotic, the unheard-of..
Of course, this doesn't prevent Musica from thinking, her first night out, "my sisters and I would show them music..."
..There's an attraction to the new, but there's also some pride, and perhaps a little competitive spirit..
"Yeah! Damn right that looks impressive, riding those waves, but let a Quadrono have a crack at this 'surfing'!"

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:10 pm

taalismn wrote:
MikelAmroni wrote:
A Tirolan woman becomes enamored of a terran musical form, which one? why? ?

In the case of Musica, it's because Human music isn't about following rigid forms and repetitive themes optimized for pre-determined psychological effect....It's the thrill of the new, the exotic, the unheard-of..
Of course, this doesn't prevent Musica from thinking, her first night out, "my sisters and I would show them music..."
..There's an attraction to the new, but there's also some pride, and perhaps a little competitive spirit..
"Yeah! Damn right that looks impressive, riding those waves, but let a Quadrono have a crack at this 'surfing'!"

Hmm, true I suppose. Actually I could see power armor being used to chase surfers through curls, getting even better pictures of them. I could also see photographers who race through curls like these and do 360 photography with specially made sensors and power armor. Full Immersion VR programs for surfing because someone spent enough time going through them in power armor with full sensors to get all of the info. White noise out the engines, and you would have all of the background sounds, suitable enough for VR at least.

But if you can think of any, lets give some NPCs (aside from those named in the shows, they are pretty well covered) folks can use. On and off earth.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:15 pm

Grak Gadra---Former Regult Squad Commander aboard Breetai Tul's flagship, Grak was among those involved in the 'Minmei Mutiny', but upon micronization, found himself less thrilled with music and more with micronian professional sports, finding, in particular that American Football fulfilled his need for violence...Within a year after the Reconstruction began, he became the first Zentraedi accepted into the new Global Football League, playing with the Macross Knights....Rather than play any one position, Grak distinguished himself by playing them all, but earned particular notoriety as an offensive tackle and as a runner....His fanbase quickly came to voice their approval of his charges against opposing players with their trademark 'Grak Smack!" while opposition fans attempted to shout them down with 'Sack the Grak!'. After several near-scandals involving female fans sneaking into the team lockerroom(and in one incident, into Grak's hyrdotherapy whirlpool), Grak Gadra married his human female publicist, 'in self defense'. He would later retire from professional sports and served breifly as an assistant coach for the Knights, but re-upped for the Pioneer mission, and immigrated with his wife and two children to the UEG Mars colonies, where he served ably as both an administrator and manager of one of the first off-world colonial football teams, the Burroughsville Barsoomians(part of the Martian League, that included the Lovellvile Vikings, and the Mariner Valley Olympians)...

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:01 pm

AWESOME! That's a good hero to base a character around. "I wanna be like Grak!"

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:14 pm

Isuhn Latrey----Former clone of the Stonecutter Caste of Laborers, Isuhm saw both his brothers and nearly all of the historic monumental statuary of his home town of Tiresia destroyed in the Invid invasion. During the occupation, he worked as a slave laborer, and lived to see the Terran liberation of his homeworld. With the subsequent reconstruction of Tiresia, he worked as a civil engineer, but as work progressed past providing basic housing and shelter, and an effort to re-beautify shattered Tiresia began, Isuhn found his thoughts traveling back to his original caste-work as a sculptor, but fired by the passions and emotions of his experiences...Working almost entirely with materials salvaged from battlefields and ruins, Isuhn Latrey did a number of works, entirely on his own, around a number of themes, rendered in a 'impressionist-heroic' style; the collapse of the Old Order, the Terran Liberation(and liberators), and the Sentinels War....reshaped armor-steel, armor-plex glass, and reinforced concrete being his main materials...The one departure from this was a series of sculptures entitled 'Phyrric Conquest', which depicted the Invid invaders, rendered in bio-technic materials from fallen Invid mecha. Installed on the new greens around the rebuilt Central Temple and Parliament, the sculptures are meant to decay(as the Invid materials are wont to do) with time, symbolizing the evaporation of the Invid empire...Isuhn would become a sought-after figure for the commission of sculptures for public buildings, and mentored the Zentraedi sculptor Tsira, assisting her in her work -Breetai Ascendant-that graces the Fantoma Orbital Industrial Annex...Recently, Isuhn has indicated an interest in traveling to the newly-liberated Earth/Sol System, with an eye towards picking through the battlegrounds and debris fields for materials and inspiration for a new set of sculptures commemorating the Four Robotech Wars.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:01 am

Review of a video recording of a new Opera: The Folly of the Makers

Tirolan Folly Operas are a part of the new identity of Tiresia. They degrade those ideals of the past that are viewed as failures. The scene of Maximillion and Miriya Sterling presenting their child to the Zentraedi commanders at the Robotech Satellite Factory is the subject of one of those saga, and it is a beautiful work to behold. The character's are fictionalized, though the concepts are recognizeable and identifiable. The breathtaking octaves of soprano Jerasca Tolin, a half human, half zentraedi singer from Terra, and the thunderous voices of the three largest voices in all of Tirolan Opera, Jarzol, Kip, and Tian, a trio of former Zentraedi Soldiers who found their singing voice quite by accident. Where all of the human, tirolan, and micronized Zentraedi are on microphones, the voices of these three vocal powerhouses were too immense to be captured on such small devices. The use of real older VF-1 Valkyries helped to create dramatic tension in the opera, and they were used as walking speakers for the normal sized performers. The video recording doesn't do the voices of Jarzol, Kip or Tian any justice, but it still manages to carry over the earnest of their pleas that the Robotech Masters had given them culture, so they could appreciate the gift of life, like their micronian brothers. All in all, this is a emotionally powerful work, much like we expect from Opera Master Hasil Uriah, a Tirolan Opera master of the oldest order. We are fortunate such a brilliant mind survived the occupation. Some have criticized the work as overly harsh on what was a logical, not emotional decision, but Jarzol has fired back at those critics saying "You have always known art, for the Zentraedi this is a new thing. That we were denied this, for any reason as cold and callous as 'It made sense logically' is cruelty of the highet order."

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:41 am

Sheyr and Vayle Kamatrez---Two young clones of the Textile Caste who survived the Occupation, but who lost their third sister, Sylk to the Invid. Both were part of the general labor pool set up for those traumatized by the Occupation, and both were hired as 'civilian contractors' to the decidedly-eccentric 72nd Griffins Tactical Mecha Squadron, based in the outlaying satellite community of Unest of Tiresia. Initially employed as tailors and housekeepers, the two were often contracted to repair and make new regalia and uniform sections, especially during the UEEF's uniform standard chanegovers. Somehow surviving being part of the 72nd's misadventures, especially during the attempted Edwards Coup, the Kamatrez sisters emerged from the setting dust, and with the help of the 72nd's connections and their Supply Officer, were able to set up their own shop in Tiresia, catering to the style-conscious New Tiresians with Reconstruction money. Though a small operation, the 'House of Kamatrez' has become known for its elegant 'neo-classic' Tirolian civilian fashions, combining the light fit of traditional Tirolian dress with slightly more daring cuts of Terran influence, and eschewing the rather bland pastels or eyepopping primary colors for more rich and vibrant patterns and fabrics. Kamatrez gowns have become the thing among fashionable Tiresian women, gracing many an wedding and many a social event, or just a casual walk down the many rebuilt boulevards of Tiresia. Among the men and women of the UEEF and the Tirolian Militia in the know, however, Kamatrez-'adjusted' uniforms are known for both their comfortable fit, and the concealed 'extras' , such as hidden comlinks, armor-padding, and invisible pockets, integrated into them....

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:18 pm

Nice, an evening dress to strive for. And armored clothing ala Plainclothes armor. Even better.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:18 pm

MikelAmroni wrote:Nice, an evening dress to strive for. And armored clothing ala Plainclothes armor. Even better.

The two showed up in my old college campaign that quickly degenerated into silliness and a convoluted plot involving Edwards' minions efforts to shut up witnesses to his dealings with the Invid...The 72nd ended up having a barracks complex that was more like a medieval keep(I'm sure that if they had closed the double airlock doors and lit off a reflex missile in the basement they safey could have gone into orbit..), and a civilian 'staff' that included two seamstresses, a Perytonian chef, a Karbarrean gardener(the only one who knew where all the landmines were buried), and a janitor(a former Terminator-Legionanaire the 72nd had previously run into and played shuffleboard with in a minefield)...The two girls were basically 'damsels in distress' for the campaign, so I felt I owed 'em...
Plus another part of the inspiration came from an old 'Cosmopolitan' magazine picture showing a woman wearing a black lace, red satin, and gold thread bodysuit that looked painted on, and screamed to me 'Classy Tirolian Lady!', so I can picture what they'll be wearing all right...

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:44 pm

taalismn wrote:Plus another part of the inspiration came from an old 'Cosmopolitan' magazine picture showing a woman wearing a black lace, red satin, and gold thread bodysuit that looked painted on, and screamed to me 'Classy Tirolian Lady!', so I can picture what they'll be wearing all right...

It'd be interesting to see what that looked like. Don't suppose you saved it huh?

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:26 pm

MikelAmroni wrote:
taalismn wrote:Plus another part of the inspiration came from an old 'Cosmopolitan' magazine picture showing a woman wearing a black lace, red satin, and gold thread bodysuit that looked painted on, and screamed to me 'Classy Tirolian Lady!', so I can picture what they'll be wearing all right...

It'd be interesting to see what that looked like. Don't suppose you saved it huh?

I'll dig around for it...maybe I did...

in the meantime...

Obar Kruvherstu---A former Shiar, Obar fell in love with Earth's oceans when the ship his battalion was aboard crashed in the Pacific during the Rain of Death. Obar credited the ocean with saving his life. Among the spaceborne generation of Zentraedi, Obar was one of the few who learned(or had an instinctual knowledge of) swimming, and the man pushed it to the extreme, setting long distance and endurance swimming records...as a full-sized Zentraedi...in 2015, Obar gained acclaim as the 'Zentraedi Mark Spitz' for swimming the Atlantic(from Brazil to West Africa), a task thought undoable. However, 'Obar the Orca' ran into trouble for his outspoken views, and his public dedication of many of his records to 'showing what TRUE(i.e. full-sized) Zentraedi are capable of', leading to him landing in hot water with the press on a number of occasions. Nevertheless, the 'Bad Boy of Big-Time Swimming' continued to do what he did best. He refused the call-up of Zentraedi to join the UEF, instead electing to concentrate on new world records, including a proposed California-to-Hawaii swim, despite growing public resentment towards full-sized Zentraedi on Earth. Unfortunately, three of his previous attempts had failed for various reasons(including a collision with a boat of protestors declaiming his oft-voiced opinions). Obar disappeared in 2024, having last been seen swimming his usual practice laps off Baja California. Despite an extensive air-and-sea search, his body was never found, and he was presumed lost at sea....

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:04 am

A Shiar? Looks like another good one though. Keep up the solid work!

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 8:43 am

Aksiki
Doctor Louie Nichols claimed that Aksiki was ‘one of the greatest game creators in history, if not THE greatest’. This Tirolian colonial worked programming combat simulators for the Robotech Masters and the UEF until he got tired of plugging in military intelligence and churning milspec into bitmaps, and decided to try writing some of his own. Converting several scavenged bioroid control pods to use the latest in compact neural-reader HUDsets, Aksiki created the first incarnation of his famous ‘Dralith’ series of game-worlds. Now in its eighth version, the stunningly detailed virtual reality fantasy role-playing game allows players to play solo or in interactive team mode in a fantastically realized setting, as any of a number of character classes, including full-sized Zentraedi(the player’s perspective is adjusted to that of a thirty foot plus tall person, while other players will see a giant in their midst), with somatic control and interface feedback so good that many players will spend the first few minutes just flexing and admiring their virtual ‘bodies’. The latest version of Dralith includes new characters, including the Sentinels races(the Garudan ‘class’ features a virtual ‘hin’ power that allows them to see 'invisible' objects and even offers advice). Called almost criminally addictive by concerned parents and some psychologists, ‘Dralith’ is considered by many to be the ultimate VR fantasy RPgame, beating out sales and patronage records set only by the old ‘Veritechs’ game....It’s made Aksiki a worshipped name in gaming circles.

Turo
This Zentraedi painter gained notoriety for his talents even before the Zentraedi made contact with Earth. The Botaru-assigned tech-staffer had made a name for himself doing ‘nose art’ on combat mecha, with the tools usually used to apply insignia, camouflage, and kill-markings, but he also did larger canvases, doing illustrations of combat on bulkheads and bunk-plates. Though technically in violation of regulations, Turo was not chastized for his work by his superiors, who would look the other way as he decorated their mecha, or commemorated their exploits in paint. Even dread Khyron excused Turo’s behavior, even though Khyron himself did not commission any work from him and generally ignored him. Over three dozen ‘Turo’ large canvases, depicting life, death, and glory in the Zentraedi fleet, were known to exist, though only a handful survived the Rain of Death...These artworks have commanded prices at auction of ten thousand credits NuDollars and up from Zentraedi collectors. Unfortunately, despite his artistic talents, Turo was fully loyal to Khyron’s philosophies, and died with his warlord at Macross City. Recently, however, some forty years after his death, two more Turos were found on the bulkheads of a former Botaru ship found buried in the polar ice; one a depiction of the Rain of Death, and the other a half-completed portrait of Khyron. There are rumors, too, of a Turo painting buried in the remains of Khyron’s ship at Reflex Point...

Protoculture · Unread post by **Protoculture** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:05 am

Zentraedi and Tirolan Culture?

I believe my fan essays on RT-verse (extrapolated from various RT sources) might be able to assist you in these matters.

Head on to: http://forums.palladium-megaverse.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=55299

Sufficed to say, I've several essays on Zentraedi, their origins, culture, & yes even language plus the extensive description of Tyrolian societies & its history.

Feel free to peruse the link & used the materials from the essays for you to use in your RPG gaming.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:15 am

Thanks for the link again Protoculture. I've read all of your essasy (I think anyway - I can't hink of any I haven't anyway), so I know the gold that is there.

If you come up with any NPCs, artistic, musical, or otherwise, please post them. Talisman has some real gold here with his stuff, I'm proud of my few additions, and I'd love to see some more.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:41 am

Garan Navis
Tirolian scholar who has made it his life's work to collect and preserve Tirolian musical tradition...He started his work hiding ancient musical texts from the Masters' internal security services, then from the Invid; his collection of recovered annotated music and recordings was one of the first complete historical records to be re-installed in the reconstructed Tiresian Hall of Arts post-Liberation. Once he had seen that the excavations and recovery/restoration of the many cultural centers on Tirol was in good hands, the 120-year old, but still spry, scholar began traveling abroad with UEEF exploration ships seeking to re-establish contact with the lost colonies and outposts of the old Republic. Though onboard as a translator and contact specialist, Navis seeks to find and preserve the lost musical traditions of Tirol, particularly pre-Masters music and folk music, both recorded and live. Though no singer himself, he is profficient in a half-dozen traditional Tirolian musical instruments; some of his work can be heard as musical accompaniment to Musica Grant's recently-released Hymns of Our Forgotten Hearts, a collection of pre-Masters music re-done by modern musicians, for which Navis is largely responsible for organizing.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:59 pm

Tiansa Phillips - The zentraedi may have always had nutrient glop for food, but it wasn't always tasteless. Especially in the case of the food for Warlords and Warrior Elite, good tasting food was in high demand, and was one of the most valueable skills an auxiliary specialist could develop. Tiansa was just such an auxiliary specialist who served aboard the Thuverl Salan Destroyer "Black Nova." Her claim to fame on the ship was creating tasty and wild creations that looked like something else entirely. Invid mecha and the invid themselves were popular, as were plants and animals from a variety of worlds. As she was an auxiliary specialist, her oddity was overlooked, and the fact that no matter what it looked like, it was delicious helped a lot.

Since the surrender of the "Black Nova" to the SDF-3, Tiansa has begun integrating into micron society. She fell in love and got married within a year, and has run a resturant in Tiresea ever since. It has become quite the hotspot, and her genuine "zentraedi cuisine" has drawn much attention. On one hand people are often disgusted by the forms her food takes. While her subject matter has expended, she still has a fondness for food shaped like invid, and prepares it for others, even when it causes a firestorm of contraversy. Despite, or perhaps because of, the fuss, her resturant does quite well. Her food is even more delicious than ever, however, in large part due to access to real ingredients. Tiansa's on the Promenade is a popular nightspot when in Tiresea, and its reputation is growing as people who have eaten there go to other duty assignments, even to earth itself.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:06 pm

Zentraedi Pizza?
"I'll have EVERYTHING on it!"
--Served pipping hot delivered to you by Queadluun-Rau delivery girls(pizza rack where the hip missile launchers used to be...They've also experimented with faster Gnerls with the pizzas stored in where the missiles used to be, but some of the early experiments resulted in the pizzas being 'frisbeed' from the launcers with diasterous results...and there were problems with slowing down and landing precisely on front yards, parking lots, and apartment complex rooftops)

Chris0013 · Unread post by **Chris0013** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:56 pm

Gral and Milena: Gral is a Zentraedi Power Armor Pilot who actually managed to survive 30 years of military campaigns in Breetai’s fleet. Slowly rising thru the ranks to a position analogous to a Staff Sergeant within his unit, his experience allowed him to lead his men to achieve objectives with lower casualty rates than expected. Most officers’s assigned over him learned to follow Gral’s instincts and those that did not generally did not last long in the field When Breetai sided with the humans, Gral motivated his entire platoon to wholeheartedly follow their commander. In his own words, “He has never abandoned us, we shal not abandon him.” Two years after the final battle against Dolza’s fleet, Gral is micronized and serving alongside a joint human / zentraedi Special Forces team as the senior NCO of the group. He considers these men just as much his brothers as if they were from the same clone batch and while he has maintained a strict military attitude with rigorous discipline has learned to relax on his off-time and is actually quite sociable. One night at the base club he sees Milena a former quadrono and current Veritech Pilot and after being pushed and prodded by his men actually asks her to dance. She snubs him saying he is a mere male and only an enlisted soldier at that which leads to the start of a loud argument and a challenge to physical combat by Gral to show her exactly what a man is capable of. The argument is stopped by both Gral’s CO and the VT squadron commander but they both the adjourn both groups to the base gym and put them in the boxing ring together so they can see who really would win. The only rule was to not try to cause intentional irreparable harm. Both agreed to this condition and the next three hours were filled with the most intense fighting seen by anyone in a long time with Gral finally getting the upper hand…as well as a dance with the lady. They have been together and part of the UEDF and UEEF for 20 years and have 3 children; 2 twin daughters and 1 son. They See themselves as part of the new zentraedi culture keeping their warrior ethics and at the same time building a family with human values. Gral currently serves as Command Senior Master Chief Sergeant (equivalent of a Battalion Sergeant Major) and Milena is a Wing Commander for a fighter squadron. Both are based on Tirol.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:24 pm

And you can read their story in the new Biography by Alain Exderus, the famous Tirolan historian, called Gral and Milena: Worlds Apart, Side by Side. Historian Exderus has captured their heartwarming tale with interviews and research, including a rare interview with Lord Breetai himself, from before his heroic death. Available now in most PX Offices, as well as stores everywhere on Fatoma and Space Statio Liberty.

Great stuff there Chris

Chris0013 · Unread post by **Chris0013** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:00 pm

Here are the kids....

Deryk: The son...a pacifist (kind of) studied martial arts almost since he could walk. Very Zen. Will do everything including walking away from a fight to prevent it....just don't swing on him while his back is turned. He'll seal your fate. Introspective and always reading something. Could probably hold his own in a debate with any philosopher or politician. Lives a very spartan existence, keeps possessions to a minimum. Though not military he can pilot a cyclone as well as any special forces operator. quote (after facing 17 thugs single handed and winning) "I said I do not like to fight...not that I did not know how."

Miri and Siri: The twins....greatly upset mom when they joined the infantry. Ride matching cyclones, 038s with GR-97s and EP-37 rifles..the only ones who could really give their brother a fair fight...but only when the gang up on him. Both are kind of punk/rockabilly girls. the only difference between them are the identical tattoos....Miri's is on the right arm and Siri's is on the left arm. It is their mother's old unit insignia from her days in the Quadronos. Both have a kind of fool's luck...the more reckless they get the more likely they are to succeed (think captain Jack Sparrow). Quote attributed to their CO.."I don't know if they plan it or make it up as they go....and I don't really care."

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:17 pm

Girso 'Blood on Ice' Gernec---This hulking ex-Tyhal Battalion sub-commander earned the dubious honor of being thrown out of three hockey leagues for excessive force, WITHOUT being arrested for suspicion of being a Malcontent...But despite his legal troubles, Girso continued to have a a large, popular, fan base...so he started his own League...The Xtreme Combat Hockey League(XCHL) "Where You'll Find a Fight AND a Game!". Though prohibted in most law-abiding territories of the UEG, Girso's found enough border states and backwater colonies willing to host this violent mix of hockey and martial arts in return for a cut of the pay-per-view profits that extreme sportists are willing to pony up. The XCHL has thus rocketed to popularity to the point that now some UEG mainstream networks are taking another look at it(albeit 'cleaned-up' and heavily edited versions)...Problem is, Girso's so busy setting up new games and promoting the franchise, he no longer has time to spend on the ice breaking noses and high-sticking opponents...about the only fun he has nowadays is personally dealing with the organized crime rackets trying to muscle in on the XCHL...the last 'negotiator' was sent away with a puck embedded where the stars don't shine...

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:28 pm

Wow, I am SO glad I wasn't trying to drink anything before reading that last line. I might have coated my monitor and keyboard if I had been. OMG too funny.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:35 pm

MikelAmroni wrote:Wow, I am SO glad I wasn't trying to drink anything before reading that last line. I might have coated my monitor and keyboard if I had been. OMG too funny.

Please...you DON'T want me to write about the Zentraedi Distance Spitting Championships...

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:45 pm

taalismn wrote:
MikelAmroni wrote:Wow, I am SO glad I wasn't trying to drink anything before reading that last line. I might have coated my monitor and keyboard if I had been. OMG too funny.

Please...you DON'T want me to write about the Zentraedi Distance Spitting Championships...

LOL, you're right, I don't LOL.

Lt Gargoyle · Unread post by **Lt Gargoyle** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 9:36 pm

Bodah a former officer with twenty confirmed human kills served under the Great Breeti found himself in a position he did not chose to be in. He hated the humans and the culture they offered, but on the other hand being killed by Lord Dolza because of traitors did not sit well on him either.
After the Rain of Death Bodah had to undergo micronization, a process he resented, he ended up working inside a mecha manufacturing plant with a positive work attitude he was one of the boss’s best employee, he was willing to do whatever it took to be considered the best employee.
What no one knew was that Bodah was in fact a malcontent leader and organized his Zentraedi followers in well organized and highly mobile armies. He would slip them the Intel on the new mecha designs and shipping schedules. He had even organized an attack on the very Destroid plant he worked in right before a major shipment. It was this event that lead to his discovery and his running from the UEFD.
It is believed he was killed shortly after this daring robbery that gave his malcontent Zentraedi fresh mecha. However when the Masters arrived in Earth’s orbit the Malcontents lead by Bodah began attacking the Armies of the Southern Cross trying to force the ASC to deplete their war machine even further. After the Masters defeat Bodah slipped back into hiding. If he is still alive or not know one is sure.

Peacebringer · Unread post by **Peacebringer** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:09 am

I'd imagine Zentraedi culture to be similar to that Kirk Russell movie, Soldier. They just follow orders all day.

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:55 am

That may be Peacebringer, but here we are generally discussing the impact and contributions of Zentraedi Culture after their integration with humans, and the same with the Tirolians. After all we've all got our negative stereotypes of Zentraedi (Gargoyle just posted a doozy

), but how about the ones we can look at with some sort of reverence, specifically those who moved beyond war, or at least beyond JUST war. Miriya Parino Sterling is pretty much THE epitome of a Zentraedi Warrior integrating into the UEEF military. Lord Breetai merely went sideways, from one command posting to another. But not everyone was so lucky. The Three Zentraedi spies became entrepreneurs, and tried to help their fellow Zentraedi fit in. In this thread we've seen sportsmen (and women), artists, musicians, cooks, and more. We've even seen a few who showed glimmers of culture before they ever met the humans, but expressed it in a way that didn't fly in the face of Zentraedi tradition or order.

And we're looking for more. If you can think of some, Tirolan or Zentraedi, please add to the list. I'd like a GM to be able to pull some of these for flavor in his games, as well as players.

taalismn · Unread post by **taalismn** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:05 am

Gumerak Ptow---Former Zentraedi grunt, whose contribution to performance art started when he and his company landed after the Rain of Death and 'invaded' the remains of Sacremento....Forced to advance on foot, Gumerak's unit came under attack by another Zentraedi unit, and Gumerak was bodily THROWN through a paint factory by the force of a exploding missile, and bellyflopped onto a parking lot, leaving a colorful giant paint smear behind. That paint smear would become the centerpiece of an artists' colony that came later, during the reclamation of Sacremento. Gumerak himself led a life of mixed blessings...assimilated into micronian culture, he however was continually involved in various incidents and accidents that ended up with him being thrown across substantial distances of real estate, to land hard, leaving distinctive impressions on the ground(several times it was wet concrete, another time it was an ash pile, another time it was liquid latex...)...Seeing a pattern, and resigned to being the universe's punching bag, Gumerak took up an offer by a micronian art combine and became a part-time performance artist; in exchange for a wage and medical benefits, he'd throw himself at a surface(soft or hard, often after covering himself in paint) for the artistic impression. Gumerak did his last 'impression' in 2021, before he was finally micronized, and left with the Pioneer Expedition, but he came 'out of retirement' later to do one last series of 'splashdowns' for the Tiresian Cosmograde Elementary School opening, including creating a wading pool on the school grounds...

MikelAmroni · Unread post by **MikelAmroni** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:34 am

Talk about making an impact on the art community